Radiator



RADIATOR.

No. 378,093. Patented Feb.- 21,` 1888.

f/f. if@ fig/f' l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.:

' 4JOHN HOPSON, JR., OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

RADIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 378,093, datedFebruary 21, 1888.

Application tiled March 23, 1887. Serial No. 232,119. (No model.)

`To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN' HOPSON, Jr., of New London,county of NewLondon, and State of Connecticut,haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Radiators, ot' which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention hasrelation to radiators such as are employed for heatingpurposesin connection with steam, water, or other heat-conveying fluidsor liquids.

The object-of my invention is to produce a radiator of thin materialwhiclr shall be amply strong and durable, in which the joints are easilyand cheaply made, presenting a smooth exterior or finish, and notsubject to damage when the radiator is emptied, which may presentanenlarged exterior surface for radiation of heat and a correspondinglylarge interior surface for contact of the medium ,with the material ofwhich the radiator is made, and which shall secure other advantages inthe matter of construction, locating or mounting, finish, and operation.

To accomplish all of this my improvements involve certain new and usefulpeculiarities of construction and arrangements or combinations of parts,which will be herein tirst fully described, and then pointed out in theclaim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 isaview partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section,showing a radiator constructed in accordance with my invention andinvolving my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation upon a planeat right angles to that of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section of oneof the Vertical radiating-tubes. Figs. 4 and 5 are like Figs. 2 and 3,except that the headers and vertical tubes are shown plain orcylindrical instead of luted or corrugated. Fig. 6 is a sectionalelevation like Fig. 2, ex-

`cept that it shows two sets or rows of vertical 'ftubes united to formthe radiator, and is intended to indicate that any number of rows may beemployed. Fig. 7 is a cross-section and elevation of the upper part ofthe double radiator, showing the method or means employedvfor bracingthe rows; and Fig. 8 is a side view of a fragment of the upper part,

showingl the washer used to cover the screwribs when not in use. Figs.9, 10, and 1l are sectional views showing different forms of 5 joints.which may befemployed for uniting the vertical tubes andy headers. Fig.12 shows a section and elevation of a tube of different formfroxnthoseof previous tigures,which may be used in the radiator, and isintended toin` 6 dicate that a variety of forms or designs may beemployed. v

In all the figures like letters of reference, wherever they occur,indicate *corresponding parts. .l

A A are the horizontal tubes or pipes, called the headers and serving tounite the verual tubes E B, from which the greatest amount of radiationtakes place. These tubes andthe headers aswell are all made of 7 thinmetal, and preferably of brass or equivalent metal, easily drawn, andthey may be drawn in such manner as to present afluted, corrugated, orotherwise extended or enlarged exterior surface, by which radiation isin- 7- creased, as is -well understood.

In Figs. l, 2, 3, and 6 the flutings a a, &c., extend in straight linesin the direction ofthe g axes of the tubes and headers. .In Fig. l2 thecorrugations b b extend spirally around the tubes. In other figures thetubes are all plain or smooth inside and out. The varieties shown aredeemed ample to indicate that the patterns of the surface may bevariously modified, as I intend they shall be, though I 8 prefer to makethe headers and the uprights of like pattern, so as to secure thatgeneral harmony throughout which vis in accordance with the prevailingmodes of decoration or ornamentation. The plain and the liiuted may,

however, be combined in any desired way.

By iluting or corrugating the thinmetal pipes the interior surface isextended or enlarged the same as the exterior, so that theheat-conducting medium is brought into contact with a larger surface,and much more directly in contact with thei radiating material` than inthose styles employing disks or projecting points, which are cast orotherwise formed upon a pipe having a regular orf smooth interior. Theadvantage .of thus bringing the heat`conducting medium nearer to theentire exterior surface will be readily appreciated. The metal employedis quite roc thin. It is thus easier drawn, it gives up its heat veryrapidly, and it makes the structure very light and easy to be mounted inits place and easy to be handled during the construcf tion andfinishing. All desired strength and rigidity are contributed by theflutings or cor rugations, if they be employed.

Heretofore it has been customary to thread the vertical tubes into theheaders. This necessitated the employment of heavy or thick metalthroughout, in order to provide for the threads, or at least a specialenlargement of the parts in the region of the joints, all of which wereexpensive and difiicult to make. Further than this, the threaded jointsdeteriorate by rusting when the radiator is not in use or when emptied,leaving it in an unsafe condition, and they present a rough and unevenexterior, not only unsightly, but difficult and expensive to smooth offor finish, as is necessary if plating or such like finishing be desired.To obviate these disadvantages I unite the parts entirely by soldering,(or brazing,) leaving-the exterior smooth, the joints sound, perfect,and durable, without increasing the thickness of metal and at very muchless expense than in previous constructions, and when the parts are thusunited the radiator is ready for the platngbath without otherpreparations than the usual cleaning. It is inserted in the bath bodilyafter the parts are united. The brass is found to hold the plating wellwhen the radiator is used, whereas any plating upon iron rapidlydeteriorates under the influence of the heat to which it is subjected.

Within the ends of the headers the blocks, as cd, are soldered, c beingintended to receive an air-valve and d an inlet or outlet pipe for thesteam or water. rlwo or more rows of vertical tubes, each row having topand bottom headers, may be united in one structure, provisions beingmade for cross-circulation at top and bottoln. At e e, Fig. 6,cross-connections are shown in dotted lines. These may be short tubessoldered into the headers or into the end blocks, as may be desired. Tocover the ends, removable shells or caps, as ff, may be slipped upon theheaders.

To sustain the radiator above the floor, I provide'feet, as at g g,which are fashioned at top to receive the lower headers, (of whatevernumber they may be.) and they are secured to the lower headers by bolts,as h h, and nuts thereon. The bolts are soldered to the under surfacesof thelower headers, and the feet may be screwed to the floor, ifdesired.

Various kinds of unions between the vertical and horizontal pipes may beemployed. The vertical may be slipped into the hori zontal, asin Fig. 1,or over a short collarrformed integral with the horizontal, as in Fig.9, or overan inserted collar, as in Fig. 10; or the end of the verticalpipe may be expanded inside the horizontal, as in Fig. 11. In either orany form the joint is to be secured by soldering, (or equivalentbrazing.)

When two or more rows are employed in the radiator, they should bebraced together at top. For this purpose I supply the upper headers withshort threaded nibs, as i i, on each side. Two opposite nibs presentright and left threads, and they arejoined by any connecting pieces orbraces, as k, which draw the headers to the proper position and firmlybrace them. When the nibs are not used, as those on the exterior, theyare covered by an ornamental removable washer, as l. The nibs aresoldered on the headers and on both sides of each, so that all will bealike.

The radiator thus constructed is found to admirably answer the purposeor object of the invention as previously set forth.

I am aware that thinmetal radiators are in common use, and that the useof solder for closing joints in sheet-metal structures is an ordinaryexpedient, and I make no claim except to a construction of a radiatorthat dispenses with screw-thread connections that necessitate an openingin the wall of the ras diator, and that also obviates the necessity ofpiercing any portion of the same to provide means for its proper supporteither vertically or laterally.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

As a new article of manufacture, a radiator composed of thin metal upperand lower headers with end plugs covered by caps and verticalconnectingtubes, the upper headers having nibs and connecting-braces onadjacent have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

. JOHN HOPSON, JR.

Witnesses:

VILLIAM BELCHER, THOMAS W. GARDNER.

